Reactor cup shell-in-shell riser for reaction vessel used in hydroconversion of fossil fuels

ABSTRACT

A catalytic hydrocracking reactor vessel includes enhanced components for the conversion of a hydrogen gas and fossil fuel feedstream to light liquid hydrocarbons. The reactor vessel comprises one or more of a reactor cup riser with a helical cyclonic separator conduit for separating a liquid and vapor product stream to provide an essentially vapor-free liquid recycle stream; a grid plate bubble cap with wall housing having serrated edges for producing small hydrogen bubbles of increased total surface area of bubbles at lower pressure drop; a feedstream inlet pipe sparger containing rows of downward directed slots for even distribution of the feedstream across the cross-sectional area of the reactor and providing free drain of solid particles from the sparger; and optionally a liquid recycle inlet distributor containing vertically curved plates for creating a whirling motion in the liquid recycle stream for better mixing with the feedstream with minimal solids settling.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.10/225,937, filed Aug. 22, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,325, thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an apparatus for converting coal, petroleumresidue, tar sands and similar materials to hydrocarbon liquids orgases. The invention particularly relates to an advantageous reactordesign that overcomes several reactor-associated performance problemsand improves the overall efficiency of the conversion steps occurring inthe reactor, particularly the catalytic hydrogenation and/orhydrocracking of coal particles into hydrocarbon liquids in catalyticslurry reactors.

2. The Relevant Technology

The conversion of fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and peat toliquid hydrocarbon fuels and/or chemicals has been the subject ofintensive research and development throughout the industrialized worldfor many years to provide a practical alternative to petroleum crude oilproduction and open-up the world's vast reserves of coal as acompetitive source for essential hydrocarbons. Many processes have beendeveloped for the direct or indirect catalytic hydrogenation of fossilfuels to yield liquid hydrocarbons; some large pilot plants have beenbuilt and operated, and about twenty commercial scale plants have beenbuilt for the conversion of coal to primarily liquid hydrocarbons. Ofthese twenty plants, most were built by the German government duringWorld War II. They were built using the well-known Fischer-Tropsch (F-T)process for converting synthesis gas to liquid hydrocarbons in contactwith iron catalyst and, operationally at least, worked well enough forwar-time needs. Subsequently, the South African Government (SASOL) builttwo commercial-sized coal conversion plants to produce hydrocarbon fuelsand chemicals which also were successfully based on indirect conversionusing Fischer-Tropsch chemistry and iron catalysis. Both the German andSASOL projects were driven by political necessity but were otherwisecommercially uncompetitive with crude oil discovery and production.

The F-T process is a known method for preparing liquid hydrocarbons fromfossil fuels, especially coal, by conversion of coal to synthesis gas,i.e., a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, followed by conversionto liquid hydrocarbons over a precipitated iron F-T catalyst. However,precipitated iron catalysts in the F-T process are especially fragileand break down easily under conventional reaction conditions into veryfine particles which are carried over into the hydrocarbon liquidproducts. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,265,451 and 6,277,895, assigned toHydrocarbon Technologies, Inc., and incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety, teach skeletal iron F-T catalysts for the production ofliquid hydrocarbons from fossil fuel derived synthesis gas in a slurryreactor. The patents teach and claim a relatively simple and inexpensivemethod for preparing the skeletal iron F-T catalyst that experiencesless attrition and the conversion of syngas is higher than that obtainedby using fused iron as catalyst. Also, the conversion of the feed isequivalent to that achieved by precipitated iron F-T catalyst. Thecatalyst is recycled in the process.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,542, also assigned to Hydrocarbon Technologies,Inc., teaches a multi-stage direct catalytic hydrogenation andhydroconversion process for the conversion of fossil fuels such as coalover iron catalysts to low boiling hydrocarbon liquid products. Thefirst stage of the hydroconversion and hydrogenation process utilizes abackmixed reactor.

A catalytic reactor system that has been successfully used to directlyconvert coal or heavy hydrocarbon feedstock such as residuum and oilsfrom tar sands into lighter hydrocarbon liquids is the ebullating bedreactor. In this reactor, upward flowing streams of coal fines, liquidand gaseous materials such as oil and hydrogen flow upward through avessel containing a mass of solid catalyst particles. The mass ofparticles expand by at least 10% and are placed thereby in random motionwithin the vessel. The characteristics of the ebullated mass are suchthat a finer, lighter solid will pass upwardly through the mass ofcatalyst particles such the ebullated mass is retained in the reactor,and the finer, lighter material may pass from the reactor along with thelighter hydrocarbon liquid products. An exemplary ebullated bed reactoris described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,519,555 and 3,769,198 and is well knownto those skilled in the art of petroleum residuum upgrading and coalconversion. It is employed in the H-Coal process as described in U.S.Pat. No. 4,400,263 and in the H-Oil process for the hydrotreating ofresiduum as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,676. It can also beemployed in the more advanced hydroconversion process, i.e., thecatalytic multi-stage process, for the conversion and refining of ahydrocarbon feed as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,542 where thecatalyst is a dispersed catalyst and the catalyst is integral part ofthe feed to the reactor. The catalytic slurry bed reactor apparatus forcoal or residuum conversion is typically operated at high hydrogenpartial pressure between 2,000 and 3,500 psi at a reactor temperaturebetween 700° F. and 850° F.

Processes dedicated to the hydrogenation and hydroconversion ofseemingly intractable materials, such as coal and petroleum residuum,are routinely faced with the challenge of designing an apparatus thatcan contain catalytic particles at high pressures and temperature whileconverting an evenly distributed feed stream of hydrogen feed gas,hydrocarbon liquid and vapor and reactant particles; a liquid recyclestream of converted mixtures preferably must be made essentially free ofvapor and pumped back to the reactor as a recycle feedstream; and arecycle flow return pump must assure that an even distribution of therecycle stream occurs across the bottom plenum of the reactor to avoidsettling and coking of unreacted coal particles. Conventionally, and toa greater or lesser degree, these problems are overcome in the prior artby introducing the feedstream through a sparger and distribution platewhich favors an even distribution of reactants across the reactor andusing a reactor cup riser for liquid/vapor separation in the reactor.Improvements in the recycle return pump design and performance are alsoregularly sought.

The inventions described herein are directed to overcoming these andother problems encountered in apparatuses dedication to thehydroconversion of coal and/or heavy oil to produce lighter and morevaluable hydrocarbon liquids.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An apparatus is disclosed for the conversion of coal particles or heavypetroleum liquids such as residuum or tar sands into light petroleumliquids in contact with hydrogen and catalyst particles. The apparatuscomprises a cylindrical, high pressure reactor vessel for containingpreferably a mixture of catalyst particles in a slurry of coal and/oroil and hydrogen gas. A conduit means is connected through the bottomhead location of the reactor to introduce hydrogen gas and feedstocksuch as heavy oil or an oil-slurry of fine coal particles. Fine catalystparticles may also be introduced as a component of the slurry offeedstock. A conduit means is also connected to the reactor through areactor top head location to remove hydrocarbon liquid and vapor productand hydrogen gas.

The catalytic slurry particles in the reactor vessel are supportedwithin the reactor by a perforated, circular grid plate, thecircumference of which is in contact with the inner wall of the vesseland connected thereto. Bubble cap means, in communication with thenon-dissolvable, hydrogen rich vapor layer underneath the grid plate,are connected through the perforations of the grid plate to receive anddistribute vapor/liquid feedstreams as fine bubbles flowing upwardevenly across the entire cross-sectional area of the reactor.

A sparger means is contained in the bottom plenum of the reactor vesselbelow the grid plate location but above the outlet of the feedstreamconduit means. The sparger receives the feedstock stream of hydrogen andoil or coal/oil/catalyst slurry and distributes the stream evenly acrossthe cross-sectional area of the vessel below the grid plate.

A means for collecting a liquid recycle flow stream is provided in a tophead part of the reactor vessel below the conduit means that is used toremove hydrocarbon product vapor. The collecting means preferablycomprises a funnel or cup having a conical wall sloping downward from acircular wide mouth in contact with the reactor vessel inner wall to anarrow mouth outlet. A cup riser means for separating liquid and vaporis connected to the funnel inner wall in open communication with thespace below the funnel and over the catalytic slurry.

A conduit downcomer means for transporting a liquid recycle stream tothe reactor is connected to the funnel outlet. The liquid recycle streamis collected from the funnel with the downcomer conduit exiting throughthe reactor wall at a bottom head location thereof from which the liquidrecycle is pumped by a liquid circulating pump through a recycle flowreturn conduit entering through the bottom head of the reactor wallbelow the sparger and grid plate.

The terminus of the pumped recycle flow return conduit contained withinthe bottom head of the vessel contains a reactor circulating pump inletdistribution means affixed thereto for receiving the pumped recycleliquid stream and mixing the recycle stream with the feedstock of oil,coal particles, hydrogen and catalyst particles, provided dispersedcatalyst is included in the process feedstock of the inlet feedsteam.

The reactor circulating pump distribution means is capped on top so thatthe pumped recycle liquid flow entering the distribution means isrequired to exit the distribution means horizontally. The recycledistribution means contains several, i.e., 1-3, separated, essentiallyparallel horizontal circular plate rings having both an outer ringcircumference in contact with a containment means or with the recycleflow return conduit and an inner circumference describing an openpassage way for admission of pumped recycle liquid. Attached to each ofthe circular plate rings is a series of separated, vertical fins orplates similarly curved in the same direction such that the outer edgesof the fins and the outer circumferential edge of the horizontal platestogether describe an opening or exit window.

The configuration of the reactor circulating pump distribution meansserves to create a whirlpool effect in the bottom head of the reactor asrecycle liquid is pumped though the distribution means. The whirlpooleffect itself causes coal particles that may be deposited on the bottomof the reactor to become resuspended in the feed stream and so avoidsolid settling and coking. Also, a better mixing of liquid and hydrogenfrom the feed is achieved.

The bubble cap means that is positioned and affixed on the grid platethrough perforations therein consists of a double pipe riser, i.e., anouter and inner pipe or shell-in-shell, supporting the bubble capitself. The double pipe riser passes through the grid plateperforations. The inner pipe contains slotted openings in the top wallof the pipe and supports a tapered, generally round or cylindrical bellcap of trapezoidal vertical cross-section by contact with the minor,interior top surface of the bell cap. The bubble cap bottom is open withthe major lower circumferential edge or open bottom edge of the bell capnotched or serrated into saw-tooth triangles. The inner pipe slotopenings are in communication with the interior space of the bell cap.The outer pipe is closed at the top below the inner pipe slot openingsand also contains slotted openings at the top end of the pipe, whichopenings are also in communication with the interior space of the bubblecap. The bottom edge of the outside pipe is also serrated and terminatesin the vapor space immediately below the grid plate. The bottom edge ofthe inside pipe terminates at the interface of the liquid and vaporlayer below the grid plate and also below the intervening vapor layer.

The tapered bubble cap of the invention with the serrated edges producesmuch smaller bubbles over prior art bubble caps and, therefore, agreater total hydrogen bubble surface area which provides an acceleratedmass transfer. The tapered bubble cap also results in less pressure dropas there is no need to change the direction of the flow of the exitinggas as experienced by non-tapered bubble caps. The double pipeshell-in-shell also eliminates the vibration or pulsation problemsexperienced in the prior art reactors containing single pipe bubblecaps.

The sparger included in the apparatus of the instant inventionscomprises one ring of conduit piping. The sparger is supported byattachments to the bottom of the grid plate and is connected to and incommunication with the feed stream inlet conduit. The sparger containsthree rows of slotted openings distributed across the bottom of thesparger for liquid and vapor distribution over the entire bottom of thegrid plate. The slotted openings in the sparger are pointed downward toavoid liquid impingement against the bottom of the reactor grid plate.The slots are selectively positioned and proportionately sized for equaldistribution of the total flow of the inlet feedstream across the gridplate.

The cup riser means for separating liquid and vapor is connected throughthe funnel or cup inner wall in the top head of the reactor in opencommunication with the top of the catalyst slurry bed and receives amixture of liquid and vapor exiting the top of the bed. The cup riser isa double pipe riser, i.e., an outer and inner pipe or shell-in-shellwith a closed top end of the inner pipe. Only the inner shell isreceivably in communication with the top of the catalytic slurry bed toreceive the mixture of liquid and vapor. The liquid and vapor exit thetop of the inner pipe into two spiraling or helical conduit chambersintegrated into the riser means and contained in a top part of theannular space of the riser shell-in-shell to cyclonically separate aliquid stream which is flows down onto the liquid recycle collectionfunnel or cup. The vapor is collected as an overhead stream within theannular space and exits the cup riser through a conduit connected to topof the outer pipe.

The cup riser of the invention provides a very efficient separation ofthe liquid and vapor and/or solids output from the catalytic slurry bed.Consequently, the pump for the liquid recycle stream experiences littleor no cavitation, eliminating pump failure as a cause for processshut-downs.

These and other advantages and features of the present invention willbecome more fully apparent from the following description and appendedclaims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forthhereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of thepresent invention, a more particular description of the invention willbe rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which areillustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that thesedrawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and aretherefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention willbe described and explained with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the complete reactor vessel of the inventioncontaining the inventions described herein comprising the reactor cupriser, the grid plate bubble cap, inlet spargers and the pump inletdistributor;

FIG. 2 a illustrates the invention comprising the reactor cup riseremployed in the reactor vessel of the invention;

FIG. 2 b is a cross-sectional view of the spiral liquid/vapor separatorin the reactor cup riser;

FIG. 3 a illustrates the invention comprising the grid plate bubble capemployed in the reactor vessel of the invention;

FIG. 3 b illustrates the cross section of the tapered bell and inner andouter pipes;

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b illustrate different views of the invention comprisinga single inlet ring sparger employed in the reactor vessel of theinvention;

FIG. 4 c illustrates the cross section of the inlet ring sparger ofFIGS. 4 a and 4 b;

FIG. 5 a illustrates the invention comprising the circulating pumpreturn inlet distributor employed in the reactor vessel of theinvention; and

FIG. 5 b illustrates the cross section of the inlet distributor of FIG.5 a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The inventions described herein are preferably intended to be utilizedin advancing the art of high pressure catalytic slurry bed reactorvessels employed in the conversion of fossil fuels, particularly coal,heavy petroleum oils and tar sands into light hydrocarbons useful asfuels and chemicals. These vessels also include the known reactors usedin the H-Oil process, the LC-Fining process, the H-Coal process, as wellas others. As noted herein before, the use of ebullating bed catalysisreactor technology is well known to those skilled in the art and theadvantages and disadvantages of the reactor technology is welldocumented in the art. The inventions presented herein are intended toadvance those advantages and overcome those disadvantages. However, itwill also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the inventionsdescribed herein can have useful applications in chemical apparatusesoutside the scope of just ebullating bed reactor vessels and may beuseful, individually or in combination, in reactors employed in thepetroleum and energy industries such as fixed bed reactors, fluid bedreactors, slurry bed reactors and the like. Indeed, reactors employed inthe chemical industry such as polymerization reactors and hydrogenationreactors and the like are candidates that can benefit from theinventions disclosed herein. The scope is wide and all such applicationsare included within the scope of the disclosed inventions.

Referring to FIG. 1, an apparatus of the instant invention is depictedas an example specifically described as a high pressure, direct coalliquefaction reactor vessel. The reactor shell (101) is a thick walledsteel cylinder having a single opening in the reactor top head and threeopenings in the reactor bottom head. A conduit pipe (201) is attached tothe reactor through the top head opening to transport vaporous productfrom the reactor. Three conduits pipes (202), (203), and (204) areattached to the reactor through the bottom head opening to transport aliquid recycle return stream (202 and 203) into the bottom head of thereactor and a feed stream (204) comprising hydrogen gas plus a slurry ofcoal fines in oil or, optionally, a heavy oil such as residuum or tarsand product oil. Where the reactor is a dispersed catalytic reactor,the catalyst particles are merged with the feedstream. The recycle flowconduit (202) is connected to the recycle flow return conduit (203)through a recycle return pump not shown. An essentially round,perforated grid plate (102) is circumferentially connected to thereactor inner wall. The grid plate is designed to support preferably anebullating bed or slurry bed or a fixed bed of solid catalyst particlescontained in the reactor void (103). The grid plate contains bubble caps(301) of the invention connected through the grid plate perforations toreceive the feedstream and form an abundance of very small hydrogen gasfeedstream bubbles to pass into the catalyst bed.

Positioned immediately below the grid plate is a sparger means (305) ofthe invention receivably connected to the feedstream conduit (204). Thesparger comprises one conduit pipe ring having slotted openings in thebottom of the pipe ring positionally directed so that the feedstreamwill be evenly distributed downward from the sparger throughout thecross-sectional area of the vessel and thereby flow as an evendistribution into the grid plate bubble caps (301) in common with thepumped recycle flow return stream from conduit pipe (203).

To facilitate mixing of the recycle flow return and the primaryfeedstream in the bottom head of the reactor the terminus of conduit(203) in the reactor bottom contains an inlet distributor means (302)designed, as described herein after, to eject the recycle flow returncontinuously into the bottom of the reactor in a horizontal directionprogressively tangential to the circumference of the conduit (203) atits terminus. By this means, a whirlpool effect is established in theliquid in the reactor bottom that re-suspends those fine coal orcatalyst particles which have settled in the reactor bottom head andhomogenates the recycle and feed stream combination flowing upward.

Conduit recycle flow pipe (202) traverses internally and verticallythrough the reactor and catalyst bed and is receivably connected to thesmall outlet mouth of conical liquid collection funnel (205) which is incontact with the inner wall of the reactor. A series of reactor cuprisers (304) are connected through the conical wall of the funnel incommunication with the liquid/vapor layers above the catalyst bed. Thereactor cup riser receives the liquid/vapor streams over the catalystbed and separates the vapor and liquid components. Vapor lean liquid iscollected by the conical funnel for transportation to the recycle pumpand vapor passes from the vessel through conduit (201) for furtherseparation into vapor and liquid hydrocarbon products.

Referring to FIG. 2 a, the invention comprising the reactor cup riseremployed in the reactor vessel of the invention is illustratedcontaining an integrated cyclonic helical separator conduit forreceiving and cyclonically separating a liquid and vapor product stream.The reactor cup riser contains a shell-in-shell inner pipe (601) with aclosed end (604). The top of outer pipe (602) is in open communication(605) with the vapor outlet conduit (606). The bottom of the outer pipe(602) is in open communication with the liquid in the cup or funnel. Theinner shell is receivably in communication with the top of the catalystbed to receive the mixture of liquid, vapor and carry-over of coaland/or catalyst particles through the reactor cup or funnel (603).Liquid and vapor rising in the inner pipe exit the top of the inner pipethrough slots (607) into two spiraling conduit chambers (608) containedin a top part of the annular space between the shell-in-shell tocyclonically separate liquid and vapor. The separated liquid streamflows down the annular space onto the liquid recycle collection funnel(603). The separated vapor (610) flows as an overhead stream within theannular space (605) and exits the cup riser through the conduit (606)connected to top of the outer pipe. The separated liquid (609) is passedonto the liquid recycle collection funnel.

In FIG. 2 b, a cross-sectional view of the separator comprising twospiraling cyclonic chambers, (designated (608) in FIG. 2 a), ispresented (611) to show the fluid entrance and exit openings (612) and(613) in the chamber.

Referring to FIG. 3 a, the invention comprising the grid plate bubblecap employed in the reactor vessel of the invention is illustratedinserted through the grid plate (101). The bubble cap means that ispositioned on the grid plate through perforations therein consists of adouble pipe riser, i.e., an outer pipe (102) and inner pipe (103),supporting a top bell cap part (104) with the top (105) of the innerpipe. The inner pipe contains four slotted openings (106) in the topwall of the pipe in communication with the interior space of the bubblecap part (104). The bell cap part (104) is a tapered, generally round orcylindrical bell cap of trapezoidal vertical cross-section. The bell cappart (104) bottom section is open with the lower circumferential edge oropen bottom edge (107) of the bell cap part notched or serrated intosaw-tooth triangles. The outer pipe (102) is closed at the top (108)below the inner pipe slot openings and also contains four slottedopenings (109) at the top end of the pipe, which openings are also incommunication with the interior space of the bell cap part (104). Thebottom edge of the outside pipe is also serrated and terminates (110) incommunication with the vapor space-immediately below the grid plate atthe liquid and vapor interface. The bottom edge of the inside pipesubmerges (111) under the liquid level below the grid plate.Accordingly, vapor flows upward through the annulus space between theinner and outer pipes while vapor saturated liquid flows upward throughthe inner pipe. Four spacers (112) are located at the bottom between theinner and outer pipes.

The grid plate bubble cap of the invention with the triangular orserrated bell cup edges produces an increased amount of small hydrogenbubbles compared to the prior art. This results in a greater hydrogensurface area and better mass transfer. In addition, the bubble cap ofthe invention eliminates the vibration and pulsation experienced in thevessel art heretofore. The change in vapor pressure in the outer pipe isequal to the change in pressure of the inner pipe so there is nopulsation caused by vapor/liquid surges resulting from differences invapor and liquid pressures.

Referring to FIG. 3 b, a cross-sectional view of the bubble cap of theinvention is presented showing the relationship between the parts of thebell cap (201), the inner pipe (202), the outer pipe (203) and the slots(204) and (205).

Referring to FIGS. 4 a-4 c, the invention comprising a single inlet ringsparger employed in the reactor vessel of the invention is illustrated.The sparger (401) is located in the reactor bottom head (402) below thegrid plate (403) and supportively attached thereto (404) (FIG. 4 a). Thesparger ring is receivably connected to the feedstream conduit. Threerows of slotted openings, one in the bottom center (407) and one of eachin each quadrant of the bottom circle on the ring (408) (FIGS. 4 b and 4c), are placed in the bottom of the pipe ring sized to provide an evendistribution of the feedstream flow from the spargers (401) across thebottom of grid plate (403). The sparger of the invention provides aneven distribution of the feedstream across the reactor vessel andreduces the propensity to entrap vapor, thereby eliminating feed streamsurging and pulsation.

Referring to FIG. 5 a, the invention comprising the circulating pumpliquid return inlet distributor employed in the reactor vessel of theinvention is illustrated. The reactor circulating pump liquid inletdistributor (500) is located within the bottom head (502) of the reactorvessel and connected to the terminus of the liquid recycle conduit(503). A plate (501) caps the top of the inlet distributor providing aclosed end distributor requiring a horizontal flow for liquids exitingthe inlet distributor. Parallel, horizontal, separated circular platerings (504), are connected to the distributor having an outer ringcircumference and an inner circumference which defines an open passageway (505) for admission of pumped recycle liquid. Vertically curved finsor plates, depicted in FIG. 5 b as (505), are positioned between thehorizontal plates (506 of FIG. 5 b) and between the outer and innercircumferential edge of the horizontal plates together define an openingor exit window between the horizontal plates (506) for passage of theliquid recycle stream into the reactor.

The curved fins of the inlet distributor induce a whirlpool mixingeffect in the liquid recycle stream entering the bottom of the reactorwhich improves the mixing of the recycle stream and the primaryfeedstream. The whirlpool effect also results in the re-suspension ofany solids or fine coal particles that may have settled to the bottom ofthe reactor after separation from the primary feedstream coal/oilslurry.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

1. A reactor cup riser for receiving and separating a liquid and vaporproduct stream in a reactor vessel to provide an essentially vapor-freeliquid and/or solids free recycle stream, comprising: a shell-in-shellpipe assembly comprising an inner liquid/vapor feed pipe and an outerpipe disposed around a portion of said inner feed pipe, said inner pipehaving a top end that terminates below an upper end of said outer pipeand an open bottom end extending below a bottom end of said outer pipethrough which liquid and vapor can be received into said pipe assembly,said outer pipe having a vapor outlet conduit disposed at a top endthrough which separated vapor can exit said pipe assembly and a liquidexit opening at a bottom end through which separated liquid can exitsaid pipe assembly; a plurality of liquid/vapor exit passages disposedthrough a side of said inner pipe near said top end through which liquidand vapor can pass into a shell-in-shell space between said inner andouter pipes; and a helical liquid/vapor separator disposed in saidshell-in-shell space in communication with said liquid/vapor exitpassages for impinging liquid onto an inner wall surface of said outerpipe, wherein liquid separated from vapor by said separator is able toflow down through said shell-in-shell space between said inner and outerpipes toward said liquid exit opening, wherein vapor separated fromliquid by said separator is able to pass up toward said vapor outletconduit.
 2. A reactor cup riser as defined in claim 1, said helicalliquid/vapor separator comprising two helical conduit chambers disposedin said shell-in-shell space for cyclonically separating liquid fromvapor.
 3. A reactor cup riser as defined in claim 1, said helicalliquid/vapor separator comprising an outer helical conduit chamber intowhich liquid passes and an inner helical conduit chamber into whichvapor passes.
 4. A reactor cup riser as defined in claim 3, said outerhelical conduit chamber being closed at a top end in order for liquid insaid outer helical conduit chamber to flow downward through saidshell-in-shell space.
 5. A reactor cup riser as defined in claim 3, saidinner helical conduit chamber being open at a top end to allow vapor toflow upward through said shell-in-shell space.
 6. A reactor cup riser asdefined in claim 1, wherein said top end of said inner pipe is closed.7. A reactor cup riser as defined in claim 1, wherein said outer piperhas a larger width at an upper end surrounding said liquid/vapor exitpassages and a smaller width at a lower end surrounding said liquid exitopen so that said shell-in-shell space is larger in the vicinity of saidliquid/vapor exit passages than in the vicinity of said liquid exitopening.
 8. A reactor cup riser as defined in claim 1, wherein saidhelical liquid/vapor separator separates a volatile vapor fraction,including hydrogen gas, from a non-volatile liquid fraction, wherein thevolatile vapor fraction is able to pass through said vapor outletconduit.
 9. A reactor cup riser as defined in claim 1, wherein saidliquid/vapor exit passages comprise slots that prevent or inhibitpassage of solid catalyst material into said shell-in-shell space.
 10. Areactor cup riser for receiving and separating a liquid and vaporproduct stream in a reactor vessel to provide an essentially vapor-freeliquid and/or solids free recycle stream, comprising: a shell-in-shellpipe assembly comprising an inner liquid/vapor feed pipe and an outerpipe disposed around a portion of said inner feed pipe, said inner pipehaving a closed top end that terminates below an upper end of said outerpipe and an open bottom end extending below a bottom end of said outerpipe through which liquid and vapor can be received into said pipeassembly, said outer pipe having a vapor outlet conduit disposed at atop end through which separated vapor can exit said pipe assembly and aliquid exit opening at a bottom end through which separated liquid canexit said pipe assembly; and a plurality of liquid/vapor exit passagesdisposed through a side of said inner pipe near said closed top throughwhich liquid and vapor can pass into a shell-in-shell space between saidinner and outer pipes, said outer piper having a larger width at anupper end surrounding said liquid/vapor exit passages and a smallerwidth at a lower end surrounding said liquid exit open so that saidshell-in-shell space is larger in the vicinity of said liquid/vapor exitpassages than in the vicinity of said liquid exit opening; whereinliquid separated from vapor is able to flow down through saidshell-in-shell space between said inner and outer pipes toward saidliquid exit opening, wherein vapor separated from liquid is able to passup toward said vapor outlet conduit.
 11. A reactor cup riser as definedin claim 10, further comprising a helical liquid/vapor separatordisposed in said shell-in-shell space in communication with saidliquid/vapor exit passages for impinging liquid onto an inner wallsurface of said outer pipe.
 12. A reactor cup riser as defined in claim11, said helical liquid/vapor separator comprising two helical conduitchambers disposed in said shell-in-shell space for cyclonicallyseparating liquid from vapor.
 13. A reactor cup riser as defined inclaim 10, said helical liquid/vapor separator comprising an outerhelical conduit chamber into which liquid passes and an inner helicalconduit chamber into which vapor passes.
 14. A reactor cup riser asdefined in claim 10, wherein said helical liquid/vapor separatorseparates a volatile vapor fraction, including hydrogen gas, from anon-volatile liquid fraction, wherein the volatile vapor fraction isable to pass through said vapor outlet conduit.
 15. A reactor cup riseras defined in claim 10, wherein said liquid/vapor exit passages compriseslots that prevent or inhibit passage of solid catalyst material intosaid shell-in-shell space.
 16. A reactor cup riser for receiving andseparating a liquid and vapor product stream in a reactor vessel toprovide an essentially vapor-free liquid and/or solids free recyclestream, comprising: a shell-in-shell pipe assembly comprising an innerliquid/vapor feed pipe and an outer pipe disposed around a portion ofsaid inner feed pipe, said inner pipe having a closed top end thatterminates below an upper end of said outer pipe and an open bottom endextending below a bottom end of said outer pipe through which liquid andvapor can be received into said pipe assembly, said outer pipe having avapor outlet conduit disposed at a top end through which separated vaporcan exit said pipe assembly and a liquid exit opening at a bottom endthrough which separated liquid can exit said pipe assembly; a pluralityof liquid/vapor exit slots disposed through a side of said inner pipenear said closed top through which liquid and vapor can pass into ashell-in-shell space between said inner and outer pipes; and a helicalliquid/vapor separator disposed in said shell-in-shell space incommunication with said liquid/vapor exit slots for impinging liquidonto an inner wall surface of said outer pipe, wherein said outer piperhas a larger width at an upper end surrounding said helical liquid/vaporseparator and a smaller width at a lower end surrounding said liquidexit open so that said shell-in-shell space is larger in the vicinity ofsaid helical liquid/vapor separator than in the vicinity of said liquidexit opening, wherein liquid separated from vapor is able to flow downthrough said shell-in-shell space between said inner and outer pipestoward said liquid exit opening, wherein vapor separated from liquid isable to pass up toward said vapor outlet conduit.
 17. A reactor cupriser as defined in claim 1, said helical liquid/vapor separatorcomprising two helical conduit chambers disposed in said shell-in-shellspace for cyclonically separating liquid from vapor.
 18. A reactor cupriser as defined in claim 17, said helical liquid/vapor separatorcomprising an outer helical conduit chamber that is closed at the topinto which liquid passes and an inner helical conduit chamber that isopen at the top into which vapor passes.
 19. A reactor cup riser asdefined in claim 17, wherein said helical liquid/vapor separatorseparates a volatile vapor fraction, including hydrogen gas, from anon-volatile liquid fraction, wherein the volatile vapor fraction isable to pass through said vapor outlet conduit.
 20. A reactor cup riseras defined in claim 17, wherein said liquid/vapor exit slots prevent orinhibit passage of solid catalyst material into said shell-in-shellspace.